Gate fasteners



July 31, 1951 F. B. MACKEY GATE FASTENERS Filed April' 4, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

j/'/ 5, MCM? Patented July 31, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GATE FASTENERS p Fred. B. 1vrakey, iaqzei, Kans. Application Apri; 4, 1950,' serial No. `153,827

' ioiains. (o1. '29e-454) 'Ihis invention relates to gate fasteners, and the main object is the provision of a useful, practical and simple device adapted for use on any hinged gate, whether wood or steel, whereby the gate may be easily opened or closed.

Another` object of the invention is the provision of a pair of vertically spaced horizontal U-shaped grips pivoted to the gate post and pivotally connected to a lift bar adapted to swing the said grips upward and clear of the gate when it is desired to swing the gate into or out of alignment with the fence, the said grips by virtue of their own weight combined with-that of the lift bar falling by gravity upon release of the lift bar into normally horizontal position.

The above as well as additional objects will be claried in the following description wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered parts on the accompanying drawing. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details of construction shown except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Fig; l is a. fragmentary perspective view showing a partly open hinged gate mounted in a passage through a fence or wall.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the left-hand gate post of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I indicates one and the numeral II the other of a pair of gate posts defining a passage through a wall or fence I2. A gate I3 which includes the two frame uprights I4 and I5, is hinged as shown at I6 to the post II.

An angle iron I1 which includes the two webs I8 and I9 at right angles to each other, is secured by any desired means against the inner face 28 of the post I0 with the web I8 flush against the said face. Vertically spaced holes, one of which is shown at 2I in Fig. 3, are provided through the web I9, one near the top and the other near the bottom of the web I9. U-shaped yokes 22 are pivotally mounted in the holes 2| with their arms extending from the sides of the web I9, the two arms of the yokes being indicated at 23 and 24.

The upper yoke 22 has a washer 25 welded thereon on one side of the web I9 and a washer 2B also welded thereon on the other side of the web I9. The washer 26 has a tongue 21 integral with and extending therefrom so that, when the upper yoke 22 is in the horizontal position shown in Figs. '1 and 3 the tip of the tongue 2'I is stopped by the web I 8 thereby maintaining the said yoke in horizontal position and preventing it from swinging downward beyond the said position.

The lower yoke 22 has two washers 25 welded thereto, one on each side of the web I9, although only one such washer is visible on the lower yoke in Figs. 1 and 2. The washers 25 and 26 prevent sliding of the yokes in their respective openings 2I through the web I9.

A vertical lift bar 28 is pivoted at 29 and 30 to one arm 23 of each of the two yokes, the distance between the pivots 29 and 30 being equal to the distance between the yokes 22 when both yokes are mutually parallel. A handle 3l is provided on the upper end of the lift bar 28.

The operation of the device is apparent from the drawings. Assuming that the gate is closed, as shown in Fig. 3, that is, that the yokes 22 are in horizontal position with the gate upright I4 positioned between the two arms of each yoke, gravity maintains the yokes in the said horizontal position so that the gate is prevented from opening. To open the gate the lift bar 28 is raised into the position shown in Fig. 2 wherein they clear the gate upright I4, not shown in Fig.

2, so that the gate may be swung on its hinges. To close the gate the latter is swung into alignment with the fence posts I0 and II while the lift bar is held in raised position, and then the bar is released.

Obviously, modifications in form or structure may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A gate fastener comprising an upright web attached to a gate post, said web having a horizontal opening therethrough intermediate its ends, a yoke pivotally mounted in said opening with the two arms of the yoke extending outward from and parallel with said web, said yoke having washers rigid therewith on both sides of said web thereby preventing said yoke from slidable movement in said opening, one of said washers having a tongue extending downwardly therefrom and engageable with the post to support the yoke in horizontal position, and a lift arm pivoted to said yoke for swinging said yoke upward into approximately vertical position.

2. A gate fastener comprising an upright web attached to a gate post, said web having at least two vertically spaced horizontal openings therethrough, yokes pivotally mounted in said openings with the arms of the yokes extending outward from said web and parallel with said web, said yokes having washers rigid thereon on both sides of said web thereby preventing said yokes from slidable movement in said openings, a vertical lift bar pivotally joined to each of said yokes, the distance between the pivot points of said bar and said yokes being equal to the distance between said spaced horizontal openings. and limit stop means limiting the positions vrof said yokes upon releases of said lift bar to hori'- zontal position, said yokes being adapted to be swung upward into approximately vertical position by lifting said lift bar.

3. The device set forth in claim 2, said limit stop means comprising a tongue rigid with and extending downwardly from one of said washers and engageable with the post to support the yoke in horizontal position.

4. The device set forth in claim 2, said web having a plate rigid with and extending at right angles from that edge thereof which is positioned against said post, one of said Washers on the same side of said web as said plate having a tongue integral with and extending downwardly therefrom and engageable with the post to support the yoke in horizontal position.

FRED B. MACKEY.

REFERENCES CITED v The following references are of record ln the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 774,428 Hopp Nov. 8, 1904 1,186,871 Yerkey June 13, 1916 1,360,040 Slauson Nov. 23, 1920 

